Endoscopes are used nowadays for many applications in medicine and technology. An endoscope typically comprises an elongate shaft and an endoscope head arranged at the proximal end of the shaft (i.e. the end near the observer). The shaft can in particular be rigid and can have a rigid outer tube. In order to generate an image of an object field in the cavity, an endoscope objective is arranged in the distal end area of the shaft (the end away from the observer). By way of an image carrier arranged in the interior of the shaft, the endoscopic image can be conveyed to the endoscope head, where it is made available, for example, for viewing by the observer. Moreover, an illumination light guide can be arranged inside the shaft in order to transport illumination light to the distal end of the endoscope. Such an endoscope is also referred to as “endoscope optics”.
The image carrier, which can be formed for example by a number of successive rod lenses, is generally received in an elongate tube, which is also referred to as “system tube” or “optics tube” and which, in the production of the endoscope, is pushed into the outer tube or into an inner tube of the shaft arranged inside the outer tube. After it has been pushed in, the system tube is fixed in the axial direction inside the endoscope, for example with grub screws or by welding. This takes quite a lot of time, and it is not always possible to remove the system tube again, for example for repair purposes.
It is known from EP 2 453 288 A1 that an objective mount is loaded in the distal direction by a compression spring, wherein an abutment for the compression spring is designed as a slotted, spring-elastic sleeve. The distal edge of the sleeve has a peripheral locking projection which, in the assembled state, engages in a peripheral latching groove in the endoscope housing. The compression spring presses the objective mount in the distal direction against a shoulder in the endoscope housing, in order to place the objective in a stable axial position in the endoscope housing. The sleeve is designed tapering conically in the proximal direction. To release the latching connection, a dismantling tube can be pushed onto the conical outer wall of the sleeve, between the sleeve and the endoscope housing. A system tube with an image carrier is not fixed by this. The conically shaped, spring-elastic sleeve and the interspace required for insertion of the dismantling tube occupy a part of the available lumen in the distal end area of the shaft, thereby limiting the space available for the image carrier, which is a disadvantage particularly in the case of thin endoscopes.
It is an object of the present invention to make available an endoscope and a method for producing an endoscope, and also a latching element for a corresponding endoscope, wherein the abovementioned disadvantages are avoided as far as possible, and wherein in particular a simplified assembly is permitted with simple axial fixing of the system tube.